On Monday afternoon the news said Democrat Assembly Leader Karen Bass flew into San Diego. Now I can't prove why she came here -- but I can guess: the 78th Assembly District where Republican Shirley Horton is termed out of office. Republican John McCann now faces Democrat College Boardmember Marty Block for the hotly contested, largely Democrat, seat.

I saw an interesting presentation on the history of some of our legislative seats the other day. By far the most interesting (I admit some were more sordid) was the 78th Assembly District. It's no giant secret that the 78th was drawn by Democrats to elect Democrats. Less well known is that the district has a majority of ethnic minority voters, but lawmakers in Sacramento cut the largely African American 4th Council District half out of the new district during gerrymandering in order to avoid electing another African American legislator in favor of who the Democrats ran the first time around, heavily backed with Sacramento money: Vince Hall. Hall is a white liberal who defeated then San Diego City African American Councilman George Stevens in the primary. Everyone probably remembers this enflamed much of the African American leadership, many of whom jumped ship and sided with Horton. Same thing happened in the next race: a white defeated an African American, and a Filipino, fueld with Sacramento money. In Horton's final re-elect she was faced with a formidable African American candidate, finally, but the Democrats in Sacramento pulled the money and she went down in flames.

Jump to 2008. Why would AFRICAN AMERICAN Democrat Leader Karen Bass be in San Diego? Looking at the history I learned I think it is clear. Again a white liberal backed with tons of Sacramento money (Marty Block) defeated a local African American and a Filipino for the primary nomination. I would guess she is hear to try to make repairs.